Shinzo Abe: "What Sex Slaves?"

A large reason for the lack of discussion (or an apology, for that matter) from the Japanese government is because after WWII there was no systematic dismantling and condemnation of the ruling power. Military generals were charged, but many people continued to serve the Japanese government after the war in exchange for whatever favors the US government needed (such as medical documents from Unit 371, or simply credibility towards the people). Since the US never spent the time condemning the Japanese government at the time for its actions (instead turning it into its Asian ally), Japan never went through the guilt phase Germany did after learning of the Holocaust.

It is important to note, though, that Abe's recent statements regarding the sex slaves don't really have much to do with Asia, or the sex slaves themselves. He's responding to the US congressional act demanding Japan apologize for the sex slaves, since he wants to appear more independent of the US. Of course, he's doing it in an outright stupid manner (the Abe government is largely a bunch of buffoons) but his intentions are all the same.

Japan does need to formally apologize, though, and offer some kind of official compensation, or they're never going to really fix their relationship with the rest of Asia.

Jam it back in, in the dark.